1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device used for a printing machine for issuing airline tickets, a general copying machine, a laser printer or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, as shown in FIG. 8, this kind of fixing device comprises a heating roller 2 in a fixing device body 1, a pressure roller 3 for pressing a sheet from underneath the heating roller 2, and a cleaning roller 4 being in contact with the upper face of the heating roller 2 on the sheet discharge side thereof. The lifetime of the cleaning roller 4 is known to be about one-sixth of that of the other portions of the fixing device. Thus, it is necessary to exchange the cleaning roller 4 more frequently than the other portions.
When the conventional cleaning roller 4 is installed or exchanged, a plate 5 supporting the cleaning roller 4 with respect to the fixing device body 1 has to be installed or exchanged together. According to this method, when the cleaning roller 4 is exchanged, first, a screw or the like for fixing the plate 5 is removed from the fixing unit, and the cleaning roller 4 is exchanged together with the plate 5.
In addition, there is another method for installing or exchanging the cleaning roller 4, in which a fixing screw in a bearing which fixes the cleaning roller 4 is removed.
However, with any conventional method, it is required to use tools for removing screws or the like, and to take out the whole fixing unit because of the removal of the screws, resulting in complicated works and a great amount of labor. Accordingly, users cannot readily exchange the cleaning roller despite a need for a high frequency of exchange. Moreover, the hands of the users are likely to get dirty due to the complicated works.